This article is from the Summer 2009 issue of The Wellness Advisor® magazine.
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Taking care of the earth starts with the choices we make as individuals. While some ways of reducing our impact on the planet require a measure of sacrifice – taking the bus instead of driving, for example, or reducing the amount of things we buy – others are relatively painless. If you want to live greener, here are five pain- free ways to starts.
1. Cultivate mindfulness
How many of us have walked into the kitchen, turned the light on, gotten something out of the fridge, and walked out again without turning the light off? We don’t mean to waste energy; we’re just not paying attention. How much could we save if we were just more mindful?
Make it a habit to turn off lights that aren’t being used. When you leave the house for more than 30 minutes, turn the heat or air conditioning down. And use a power strip for all your electronic devices — computer, printer, cell phone, TV, VCR — so you can cut off their power with the touch of a finger. As long as they’re plugged in, electronic devices suck energy — even when they’re not turned on.
2. Plant a tree (or 300)
Trees are nature’s air filters. Not only do they soak up carbon dioxide — the primary greenhouse gas — they absorb other pollutants like sulfur dioxide (from coal burning), ozone (from automobile and industry emissions), nitrogen oxide (from car exhaust) and particulates (from burning fuel). Amazingly, the entire amount of pollution you produce in your lifetime can be counterbalanced by a mere 300 trees.
So do your part to filter the air by planting a tree in your backyard. Or, if you want to completely offset your pollution impact, choose a non-profit organization you trust to plant 300 for you.
3. Say not to bottled water
Bottled water is convenient for hydration on the go, but it’s also an environmental nightmare. According to the Earth Policy Institute, bottled water manufacturers use 1.5 million barrels of oil each year — enough to power about 39,000 cars — just to fulfill U.S. market demand. Unfortunately, 77 percent of those are single-use containers that end up in landfills. And unlike natural materials, plastic takes centuries to decompose.
Say no to bottled water. Instead, invest in a reusable aluminum water bottle that you fill at home with filtered tap water. Then take it with you wherever you go, so hydration will always be close at hand.
4. Inflate your tires
Can something as simple as keeping your tires inflated really help the earth? Absolutely! When you drive with under-inflated tires, your gas mileage suffers by about 2-3 percent, says AAA. That means if your car is supposed to get 30 MPG, it actually gets more like 29. While that may not seem like much of a difference, over time, it adds up. In one year, a car that gets 29 MPG will release 240 additional pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than one that gets 30.
Drive smart. Check your owner’s manual to find out how much air your tires are supposed to hold (PSI). Then measure your tires’ PSI with a tire gauge. If they’re under-inflated, add air at your local gas station.
5. Eat locally
Every piece of food in your local grocery store came from somewhere. Thanks to the new global economy, you could be buying apples from New Zealand, olive oil from Italy and beef from Australia. Unfortunately, all that shipping burns a lot of fossil fuels.
An easy way to live green is to buy local foods whenever possible. When you shop at your local farmers’ market, you minimize the miles — and gas — it takes your food to get to you.
Barliv™
CoroWise®
